Why Curved TVs Failed but Curved Gaming Monitors Thrived

The report outlines several reasons for the failure. Curved TVs failed to provide a genuinely immersive experience. Unlike IMAX theaters, where viewers sit close to a concave 65-foot screen, living-room sets of 55 to 65 inches are generally placed six to ten feet away, making it hard to replicate that sense of immersion.

Viewing angles were a major problem. Curved LCD TVs had a sweet spot directly in front of the screen; off-center viewers experienced loss of contrast and color saturation. Curved OLEDs didn't have this issue but were more expensive.

Manufacturing and mounting also posed challenges. According to Dipin Sehdev, founder and CEO of consumer electronics aggregator CE Critic, manufacturers found curved TVs "a pain to manufacture at scale," especially at 55, 65, or 75 inches. Additionally, the curved design made wall-mounting difficult, with corners sticking out by up to six inches.

Curved gaming monitors avoid these issues because they are designed for a single viewer who sits close to the screen, making the central sweet spot a benefit. They also serve a functional purpose in gaming, bringing more of the screen into direct view, which is helpful in fast-paced shooters.

Without curved screens, extreme ultrawide monitors might not exist, such as Alienware's 34-inch ultrawide or Samsung's 55-inch Odyssey Ark.